Mitu and Amit

How We Met

We began our romance as star-crossed lovers in 2009 – we just didn’t know it back then! At the time, Amit was in his final year at the University of Maryland and I was in my first at a nearby school. UMD being the cooler and more fun school of the two (Amit’s personal opinion), me and my crew would often head over to College Park to hang out. UMD homecoming events and back to school parties were just a few of the times that our paths would cross without us realizing how life-changing our eventual relationship would one day be. Despite so many chances to find one another back then, we unknowingly had to wait many years before properly getting to know one another.

Six years later, we became reacquainted and Amit finally took his shot at winning my heart. Pulling out all the stops for their first date, Amit taught himself how to make an origami rose to give me at dinner. I was quite touched by the unexpected little memento of their first date together, but I was not so quick to let my guard down and continued to play hard to get. After a few more dates, countless hours talking on the phone, and a few weeks apart with our respective families on vacation, we returned to Maryland and Amit finally mustered up the courage to ask me to be his. And finally, after many years, these two star-crossed lovers became inseparable!

How He Asked

Since I tend to be a little bit of a detective and he knew I’d figure out the date, Amit’s strategy for the proposal was to shower my day with multiple surprises throughout the day to sweep me off my feet (he referred to this day as #OperationSweep), as opposed to keeping the actual date a surprise. At 9 am on August 5th, I get a call from a Washington, D.C. number. I had been instructed the evening before to answer any calls I got that morning. The person on the other line introduced themselves and told me that a limo will be coming to pick me up in an hour. I finish getting ready and head downstairs in just under an hour, to find one of my best friends (and bridesmaid extraordinaire) from New York at my doorstep! She comes inside to change quickly, and hands me the first clue to a scavenger hunt! Reading the first note set off the tears already….little did I know, it was just the beginning of an entire day full of water works.

The first note hinted at getting my nails done since “they will soon be the center of attention.” Our limo party bus arrives on schedule, and the two of us start the adventure! We drive for a while getting the party started, and I start to wonder where on Earth this nail salon is because we just kept on driving. We spent our time catching up, listening to music, and playing with all the lighting controls in the limo, and before we know it, we arrived in my old neighborhood in Baltimore (and probably turned a few heads there considering how in style we arrived).

It was the Pamper Me Suite, my favorite nail salon that was usually impossible to get a booking at (especially on a Saturday for multiple people)! Amit had actually rented out the entire salon for us and inside were two more surprises- my wonderful friends (and future bridesmaids) Shelly and Anjali (who had just come back early from vacation just for this!). We had a pamper party for the 4 of us to get our nails done, complete with pastries and of course, lots of wine. How Amit even 1) convinced them to move their morning full of appointments to different times and 2) even remembered the name of this place that I hadn’t been to in a year is completely beyond me.

The four of us then pile back into the party bus, and I got the second clue which led me to my absolute favorite Mexican restaurant which I had been missing so much since I moved out of Baltimore, El Agave. And inside, there were 3 more surprises; my amazing friends- Shado, Rohit, and Mikey. We enjoyed my favorite tacos and margaritas, and then the 7 of us get into the party bus.

I get my next clue which takes me to Pure Wine Cafe in Ellicott City, where Amit and I had gone on our second date. The bus pulls up, and inside are two more surprises! My friends Neil and Jay (who had flown in to surprise me from Florida that morning, despite canceled flights due to an impending hurricane down there!). Part two of the waterworks commence when I see them. We then enjoy some great wines, and the 9 of us get into the party bus. I receive my next clue, which leads us to Federal Hill Park, where Amit told me to play on the swings for a bit. Amit and I had spent time here during our third date. And upon arriving, we find another epic surprise- my best friend (aka yaar and future Matron of Honor), Sarita and her fiancé had flown in from Dallas!!! More waterworks/a total freak out commence and we all enjoy some time taking pictures on the hill and playing on the swings. The 11 of us then get back into the party bus and I receive my next clue.

The clue started with “It’s finally time to see your favorite guy…..” Of course, I assumed, this next stop had to be Amit for the moment I had been waiting for. We arrive at my favorite ice cream shop in Fells Point, and I was completely blown away by who was there. It was one of my favorite guys indeed, but not Amit. My little brother had flown in from California on a red-eye flight to spend the day with me, and I completely lost it with the tears! After a very emotional encounter (and all my mascara running down my face), some salted caramel ice cream, and a photo session by the water, the 12 of us get back into the limo where I receive my next, and final, clue.

This clue leads the limo to Chase Court in Baltimore, where my brother and Neil escorted me from the limo to the entrance gates, and then I head inside by myself for the moment I had been waiting for. I open these gorgeous red doors, and path of red rose petals leads me to the man of my dreams while a beautiful acoustic guitarist plays the tune to “La Vie en Rose.” I arrive where my prince charming was waiting, completely unable to stop crying thinking about what a wonderful and thoughtful man this is for putting this amazing day together for me.

And after a few minutes of emotional tears, Amit gets down on one knee and proposes to me- to be quite honest, I was so overcome with emotions that I don’t even remember the details of his speech (he gave it to me again at home a couple days later once the emotions had subsided a little….where I teared up again). I, of course, say yes! And at that moment the guitarist began to sing the actual lyrics to “La Vie en Rose.” So we just spent some time basking in the moment and taking some photos around the courtyard with the wonderful photographer who captured the moment.

Finally, we head back to DC, where everyone who had ridden around in the limo and a bunch of more friends was waiting for us for a beautifully decorated post-proposal party! It was a day filled with so much love; from friends, family, and of course my wonderful fiancé, that I still get teary-eyed thinking about it today!